Brightest After Duskmon
by Darce'Davis
Summary: During the fight with Duskmon, Kouji gets hurt. Takuya feels completely responsible. After darkness surrounds them, Takuya realizes he is alone with Kouji in a strange part of the digital world. Takouji
1. Chapter 1

_*AUTHOR NOTE*_This will be a Takouji fic: Takuya x Kouji from Digimon Frontier. This chapter is based on the Digimon Frontier episode 21, Darkest Before Duskmon. No copyright infringement intended. Sorry it is so short, but it is just an introduction to Chapter 2, (more slash). I usually don't write Fanfiction, so this is a bit different for me. Also, I'm being a bit brave by writing about this pairing because most people steer clear. Please R&R. Thanks.

"So, start talking." I demanded, trying to keep my voice strong. He stood in silence, facing away from me, his body a dark silhouette. I figured, like always, Kouji would give me a much appreciated remark about my stupidity, but this time, he just asked a simple question.

"Why do you think you're here, Takuya?" He stressed my name, as if he knew the answer for everyone else, still trying to figure out a reason for me... Like I was the only one holding the team back. Caught of guard, I only managed a confused sigh.

"Answer me! I want to know why you're here." Just like that, he matched my bold tone. I tried not to, but I stuttered, trying to think of a confident answer.

I tried to make him feel dumb, ushering a, "you know, to save the world." It had the opposite effect though, as I said this almost questioningly, his voice now getting louder.

"You say that like you don't know what it means, what's at stake." He accused me, continuing before I had a chance, "this isn't just some video game you can walk away from if things don't work out." He still refused to face me, and I was thankful for that. If he was looking at me, searching my eyes, I could've seen the small amount of concern on his features. If I stared into his dark blue orbs, what I said next could've sounded fragile. I didn't like to be fragile. Not in front of the team… _my _team… but especially not in front of Kouji.

"I'm not stupid! I know that." I defended.

"Sometimes I don't think you do. There's no second chances for us, get it?" He spat, finally turning around to face me. "If we mess up here, it's over." I looked away, examining some of the cracks on the cold stone floor. I didn't like to think of the consequences of losing a battle. Everything was so much easier when we just pretended everything was going to be okay. Thinking it, isn't enough for me. I constantly have to reassure everyone, or I'd go crazy with lost hope. Kouji's such a jerk though.

Kouji waits. He watches. Then, when we finally find a bit of hope, or in this case, a plan that just might work, he comes and chases it away with his angst aura of dislike. After our hope is gone, after we are already down, he attacks me verbally. It was even worse this time. His comments even made Tommy lose faith, staring at the floor blankly as we settled down at the remains of god knows what. The rest of the group were above us, probably sitting around the fire and discussing how _awesome _my plan really was. Attack all at once. Together, we could do anything. We had to. As if he was reading my thoughts, he continued.

"How can you stake all our lives on a plan you are only assuming is going to work? We don't know anything about this guy." He pointed out. _True._

"Uh…" Great, another stutter. "So, we'll all be safe if we run away?" At my question, Kouji grunted in pure frustration.

"I never said that!"

"Then what are you saying?" I asked with more force than I had intended. He grabbed my shirt violently, pinning me to the nearby wall.

"Listen, Takuya." I could feel his icy breath as he spoke. "He's too strong."

My voice was barely above a whisper. "I know that he's strong, but I honestly think we can win."

"Takuya, open your eyes." He shook me gently, as if trying to wake me up.

"Open your own eyes! We're stronger together than you think!" He didn't respond after that. He loosened his grip on my shirt, but he didn't let go. The light from the outside shone on his face, his blue eyes looking bluer than usual. He stayed there, his face inches from mine, just looking in my eyes. I don't think he found what he was looking for. He didn't have time. Rocks started falling from the ceiling. It was _him_. Duskmon was back.

"Execute. Beast spirit evolution!"

Hearing the others yell, Kouji and I raced up the stairs and back towards camp. His breathing was heavier than usual. I risked a sideways glance, noting how tired he looked. Of course. He was the only one who actually fought with Duskmon physically. Everyone else was able to shoot a beam at him from a distance, but not Kouji. He put all his energy in his attacks. He fought like a warrior. He was the only one that really knew Duskmon's strength. It was then that I realized, he was right, about everything.

"I guess we couldn't run away from this guy even if we tried, Kouji." I said, not being one to apologize. I didn't mean for it to sound condescending, but I'm sure it did, especially considering it was coming from me. He didn't answer me, just continued running. I think he stopped breathing for a moment, for after a brief silence he began taking harsh inhales. When I turned around, I realized Kouji was no longer behind me. It was KendoGurumon. Quickly, I evolved as well, the cold of the night disappearing as I, shot a weak flame from my hand.

Wasting no time, I trapped Duskmon in a tornado of fire. Like before, it didn't seem to affect him at all. As I looked into his menacing eyes, set in a perfect, unscarred face, something in me snapped. I charged at him. I hear Kouji yell to me, telling me to wait, but I didn't listen. I never do. I threw punches. So stupid. If flames did nothing, what did I expect from the knuckled hands of a very shaken form, as I was. After I came back to my senses, I thought back to my plan. _Attack as one._

Quickly, I shifted to the other side of Duskmon, holding him against me tight. As I did this, I felt his strength. I knew that he could've thrown me off of him if he wanted to. He seemed, _amused._

"Now!" I yelled, wanting so desperately to get rid of Duskmon's smug expression. To my surprise, even KendoGurumon did as I ordered, firing a laser along with the rest. I jumped into the air to avoid the blast, landing a few feet behind. All of their attacks were fused, concealing the monster in a rainbow colored ball of energy. I looked to KendoGurumon, sure my face held a smirk. I thought of what I could say to him, but I didn't get as far as to actually say it. Duskmon absorbed the energy, his small percent of fatigue completely gone. I just stared at him. I couldn't move. He turned towards me, another stoic look.

"You shall be first." He declared, gripping his purple sword and bringing it up behind his head. I had no control over my body. I just stood there, staring up at him as he prepared to bring his sword crashing down, to put an end… to me.

I shut my eyes tight as he made the swing, opening them after I heard the strike. In front of me, was Kouji, back to his human form. He had leaped in front of me to save me, now lying shivering on the ground.

"Kouji!" I yelled. I think the others did too, but I couldn't hear them anymore. I could only hear my heartbeat as I stared at the bloodied boy. He had a large gash in his back, part of his shirt torn, and the rest of it soaking up the blood. Duskmon didn't give another blow after he hit Kouji, but for some reason I still turned back in to my trembling human form. Immediately, I fell to my knees, protectively rolling Kouji into my arms. I made sure his back pressed hard against my thighs so that he wouldn't lose to much blood.

Duskmon was chanting Kouji's name, but I didn't pay any mind to him. Before we were shrouded in darkness, I looked at Kouji's pained face, eyes clenched, one more time. Before we were shrouded in darkness, I was able to ask him the one question that I wanted… no… _needed _an answer to.

"Why?"


	2. Chapter 2

_*Author Note: I know, super short. I have school so I'm not sure when I'll be able to continue this story. Wanted to upload the second chapter as I go along. Basically, it's just Takuya's thoughts so far… I still have to figure out where I want to go with this story. I will add more soon! Thanks -Darce'_

I paced for the millionth time, yelling at myself as I did.

"How could you be so stupid?" I asked myself, wiping the sweat from my forehead, and then looking to the ground to make sure he was still breathing. I had sat with him for a few hours, just long enough to make sure the bleeding had stopped. I couldn't sit anymore. I was trembling too much at the sight of his unconsciousness. I didn't want to admit who it was lying half dead on the ground… It was supposed to be me. I didn't want to admit it was my fault… though I knew the truth.

I heard him gasp painfully for air, his eyes still locked. I slowly propped him up, not sure what I could do for him. That seemed to help because his chest once again started rising and falling easily. I gently lowered his head back to the ground, looking to the skies. It was stupid. Not only what I had let happen, but what we were doing know. We were out in the open, where Duskmon could easily find us, no doubt. I had carried Kouji away from the battle scene on my back for a while, but then he started coughing in time with my footsteps, and I stopped. Looking around, I tried to figure out where exactly we were. It was a no-brainer that we were still in the digital world, the painted clouds and perfect trees swaying gently. The wind started getting heavier, blowing in my face a bit more unforgiving. It affected Kouji as well, making him cough and shiver.

I looked around, not finding anything that could immediately cure this. I hesitantly took of my jacket, pausing momentarily as the cold wind tickled my skin. My jacket wasn't necessarily warm, but it might help Kouji's body temperature go back to normal. I spread it over his chest, admiring the way the red suited him. I had never seen him in anything but blue. I imagined the fire would bring out his aqua eyes, if he was only well enough to open them.

I kneeled over him, placing my cut hand over his forehead. It was as if I was touching ice. I moved it to his cheek, rubbing my thumb in a circle. It warmed a bit as I did this, but not enough. I lowered my hand to his lips, gently brushing my finger over the perfect pink. His lips weren't chapped like mine. They were a rosy shade, just as cold as the rest of his face. His face was _perfect_. Guiltily, I yanked my hand away. _He_ was perfect, my best friend, if I was still allowed to call him that. I wonder what he will do ifhe wakes up… _no…_ _when _he wakes up.

Will he be mad at me? Probably. It was my fault. If I didn't just stand there like an idiot, waiting to feel Duskmon's wrath, maybe we… _the team… _could've won. I wonder where they are anyway... the rest of the gang. I hope they're safe. Safer than Kouji and I are, out in the open like this.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke to the sound of someone coughing.

"Kouji?" I asked dizzily, wiping the sleep out of my eyes.

"Takuya…" he stuttered quietly. I wasn't expecting an answer. I sat up quickly, letting my eyes get used to the blinding sunlight. I heard another cough, my eyes finally adjusted enough for me to look over at him. He too sat with his back tall, his hands struggling to keep him in his sitting position. I shook my head as he tried to get up, although I don't think he saw me. Next to him sat my jacket, in a neatly disheveled pile along with dirt and fallen leaves.

"Help me up." He ordered.

"Kouji, you're hurt." I pointed out as I reached for my jacket, easily slipping my arms through the large sleeves. He smirked, a gruff sort of laughter escaping his mouth.

"Right. Like I don't know that." He mocked, trying to get up by himself. I cringed as he fell back down, rolling and landing on his back, _hard_. He shut his eyes tight in the same manner that he had for the past day, propping himself back up much slower than the first time.

"Takuya," he growled as a warning. Giving in, I slung his arm around my shoulders. Careful to not disturb the healing gash in his back, I wrapped my arm around his waist, pulling him up. He didn't drag me at all. He supported his weight with each step he took, leaning on me less and less as we went in an unspecified direction.

"Where are we?" he asked. I hummed an, "I don't know."

"Where are the others?" I gave the same answer. We walked in silence for a little while, Kouji's arm stiffening around my shoulder, and my hand resting protectively at his side. It was awkward. _Very _awkward. Even as awkward as it was though, I wish the silence didn't end due to the words Kouji spoke.

"You can let go now." He said, his dark monotone replacing his stutter. I didn't listen. I wanted to keep my hand there… to make up a lie… say that I wanted to have his back, (literally), in case he was to fall… tell him that I wanted to hold on… that I needed to hold on since I had almost lost him. I had so many things I wanted to say to him, most of them new and terrifying to me. During the time that I feared Kouji's death, I think I realized things I had never imagined feeling. I think I finally realized why I argued with Kouji so much… why I cared what he thought of me. I finally realize that I…

"Takuya… Let go." He asked, a bit stronger this time.

"Oh… sorry." I said dumbly, throwing my hand into my brown hair and giving him my signature grin, the one that Tommy, JP, and Zoe always commented on. They always teased me, saying that they feared that face because it always meant I had an idea. It wasn't that my ideas were totally bad… it was just… sometimes they didn't work out… Like my _last _idea.

Tommy, JP, and Zoe... Those three always teased me. Those three always supported my ideas, at least listening to them before putting them down. Those three always laughed with me, not at me like Kouji did. Those three are friends, and now, I have no clue what Kouji really is to me, especially after what's happened. I wanted to ask him, but I was afraid.

"Takuya, look out!" He had to say that. He had to use the word, _look_. At this, I looked up from the ground of course, big mistake. Instantly, I walked into the tree, nose first. Merely out of surprise, I fell to the ground, holding my nose. Kouji slowly bent over me, lifting my chin up. I looked into his eyes, as his searched mine. He gently curled his fingers under my chin, his thumb resting on my cheek. I reached my hand up to do the same, not breaking our gaze. He let go instantly, causing my to flinch. Tears welled in my eyes, I could feel it.

"Takuya?"

I wiped the tears from my eyes, clutching my nose as I got up.

"Sorry, it just hurts." I said, walking to the other side of the tree.

"Your nose?" Kouji called.

"No." I muttered. Kouji heard me though. He was now right next to me, leaning against the tree as was I.

"Then what?" He asked. I didn't answer him. He sighed, walking in front of me and grabbing my wrist tight as he had done on many occasions.

"What's hurting you?"

"That I hurt you." I yelled at him, tears now flowing freely from my eyes.

"It wasn't your fault."

"If I wasn't so stupid…"

"You weren't…" _he wasn't really going to tell me that he didn't think I was stupid! _"_…_thinking." That made me snap.

"I did think. When Duskmon brought his blade up, I thought about how I didn't want to die. When he brought the blade down I thought about how I was never going to see you again! And when I realized _you_ had saved me…"

"You make it sound so personal." He interrupted, "I would've done that for any of the others too." _Ouch._

"You would?" I shook my head in disbelief. I didn't want to believe.

"What did you think? That I'd only risk my life for you?" He said this angrily, his face straightening as my eyes began to water again. "Are you that self-centered?" I ignored his last question, turning around. I wasn't able to stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks.

"It's great that you care about the team so much…" I tried to say more but I choked back a sob and stopped short. I tried to run, but his hold around my wrist tightened, yanking me back and pinning me to the tree.

"Stop." He demanded, grabbing my other wrist. "Takuya, listen. I would've done my best to protect any of them. They're my friends. But so are you." I wasn't listening, so he tried again. "You and I, we're friends."

"What if that's not what I want to be?" I whispered before I could stop myself. Kouji let go of me then. My head got heavier as I lowered my vision to the ground.

"You don't want to be friends?" Kouji asked me gently. I looked at him immediately, but he was facing away.

"No." Kouji lowered his head with a shrug of his shoulders, a little to violently to be meaningless. "No, I don't not want us to be friends." I think it took him a little bit of time to comprehend what I had said. After it registered, he looked back to me.

"Then what?" He asked me. I was caught of guard.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"You said that you don't want to be friends…" I shook my head no, hoping he would stop. I didn't want him to say what I knew he was about to. I didn't want him to ask, but I knew he would, Kouji's a jerk that way. He's a mind-reading jerk.

"What do you want _us to be?" _


	4. Chapter 4

_*AUTHOR NOTE* As was suggested by quite a few readers, this chapter is in Kouji's perspective/voice. Hope it satisfies._

He looked like a deer caught in headlights. What did he see me as? Some sort of predator? He looked trapped, willing his mouth to stay shut. I narrowed my glare, causing him to begin talking right away.

"I want us to be… " Typical Takuya, obeying my silent demand without actually completing it. I couldn't help the heavy sigh that escaped my lips. With an involuntary roll of my eyes, I turned from him, and began walking further down the path. His quivering whisper stopped me.

"Invincible." I knew something was wrong then. Just a day ago he acted as though no matter what, us, the good guys, would win the battles. That we, Takuya and I, would lead our victory through this war. Now he's confessing his desire to be… _immortal?_

"What?" I spat. More irritated by the fact that I couldn't figure out what he meant, then the fact that his answer was cryptic. He flinched slightly, looking down at his untied shoes as he continued to mutter.

"I want us to be strong enough to get through anything." He said. Weird phrasing, but I think I was beginning to understand.

"Yesterday, you thought we already were?" I pushed.

"Yesterday, you weren't lying half-dead in my arms." He looked up from the floor then, his eyes locking with mine.

"It's not your fault." I stated in simple monotonic syllables. He cracked an insincere smile at that, a instigative smirk escaping his lips. He broke our gaze immediately, rubbing his bare arms accompanied by a shy shiver.

"I just want to feel like we're safe, Kouji." I knew that at this moment, a sarcastic remark would be less than appreciated, so I wordlessly approached him. He was shaking now, a bit more violently than before. He tried to hide it. He tried oh so hard. But I heard it. I heard the whimper. I saw the tear.

"Takuya." I said his name, probably in as much of a monotone as before. I didn't know how to react. I didn't know how he wanted me to react. I pulled him into my arms, his arms wrapping around my back in an instant. It hurt. Pretty badly actually, but I didn't dare pull away. My back would heal. My heart, if I was to let him go now, wouldn't.

Still in my embrace, he looked up into my eyes. We were basically the same height, but he seemed so small.

"Thanks." The words ghosted my ears. _Why?_

"_For what?" I asked him._

"_For making me feel safe." He said, burying his face back into my chest. I wouldn't allow it though. I pulled his head back up, arching my back slightly as he clung on to me. His eyes got smaller as the tears finally dried, only to widen again when my lips touched his. It was short, I guess I'll even dare to say sweet. But at the same time, it was Takuya. It was like fire. _

_His expression was testing. I knew he was experimenting with the idea of something even greater than being invincible… Of being invincible together. I wanted to apologize. Not for the kiss, not for liking him, but for making that perfect moment disappear. I wanted to hope that even though he now knew how I felt, that we could have another perfect moment, and another. Moments in which he's in my arms, not because he is scared, but because he wants to be. Because he wants the warmth of the ice. He touched his fingertips to his lips, attempting to speak._

"_You always make me feel safe. Because I truly believe, Kouji, that I can do anything when I'm with you. We are invincible!" I couldn't help but rolling my eyes. Good ol' Takuya's back. The one with fire in his eyes, determination in his stance, and now, body in my arms and spirit in my heart. _


End file.
